The topic for assemblies at Southam St James CofE Academy this half term is ‘Courage’ and after a recent assembly I spent some more time thinking about what it means to have courage and also what it means to encourage someone else. It is always good to be surrounded by people who will encourage you through life, whether they’re there for a reason, a season or a lifetime. Throughout the Bible, God promises to be with people and encourages them to have courage and to trust Him. In the Book of Exodus (chapters 3 & 4) in the Bible, I was reading about how God encouraged Moses. The story went something like this (forgive the paraphrasing!).

1. Moses is doing his daily task of being a shepherd when suddenly God speaks to him and Moses hides his face from God.
2. God tells Moses that He has heard the cry of the people in their suffering and gives Moses the task to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt and Moses responds with ‘Who am I that I should go?’
3. God promises to be with Moses. Moses responds with ‘What if they question me as to who sent me?’
4. God tells Moses what he should say and what will happen. Moses responds with, ‘What if they don’t believe me or listen to me?’
5. God reveals His power. Moses comes up with another excuse and questions his own eloquence as he is ‘slow of speech and tongue’.
6. God replies that He is Creator God and He will help Moses and give him the words to say. Moses responds by asking God to send someone else!
7. God provides someone else to go with Moses. In fact, Moses’ brother, Aaron, who speaks eloquently is already in his way to meet Moses!   

I wonder when you read the above, whether you recognise yourself and/or your own responses to opportunities that life offers you? I know that I certainly recognise myself at various different stages of my life in Moses’ story. I wonder if when you have a new opportunity or a hope or dream, you immediately shy away from it, then doubt yourself – ‘Who am I to do this?’ We can always think of someone else that is better suited to the job, or they can do things much better than us.

Does the dream stop there? Or do you move on to other fears and doubts, ‘What if I don’t know enough?’ or ‘What if no-one listens?’ And then move on to all the reasons that you wouldn’t succeed because of your own perceived weaknesses.  As I said at the beginning, we all need encouragers who give us the courage to take steps along own journey – and even if it’s a baby step, it’s still a step! Just like Moses, we all come up with so many excuses in life to not take the first step and we put lots of obstacles in our way. But if we journey with God like Moses did and ask Him for help, He’ll always provide, He’ll encourage us and He’ll remove the obstacles so that we can follow the way that He has planned for us.

That might sound very simplistic and I know that life can be much more complicated, however I also know that God’s provision and encouragement have been my own experience. It doesn’t mean that life has always been easy, but I know that I’ve got through the highs and lows of life because of the courage and encouragement that God has given in lots of different ways and through lots of different people – despite my self doubt and questions! So take heart, take courage and trust the One who has overcome it all.

Blessings,

Rev Vikki

As summer draws to a close, there are many signs that nature is already gearing up for the next season. And what a spectacular season it is. Autumn – nature’s last hurrah before the colder winter months. Each year at Harvest Festivals, schools sing a song called Autumn Days which describes lots of the beauty of the life in Autumn and to be thankful.

At St James church, we have a lot to be thankful for. A year ago, we started Footprints Stay & Play Group which has a focus on sensory play and providing a lovely space for all children, especially those with special educational needs and disabilities to explore play together. The group has flourished and good supportive relationships have grown – I think the chats over tea and cake help here! So a big thank you to all who come and all those who help make it possible. Please see dates list for when we meet.

The leaders of Footprints understand that not everyone likes to celebrate Halloween and so are having a Light Party on October 31st from 1 until 3 at St James Church. Lots of family fun, games, play and food to share together. Dress up in your brightest coloured clothes and enjoy celebrating Light. No charge, but donations are always welcome.

In September, some lovely volunteers opened up St James church for the Heritage Open Coffee Morning. Thank you to Southam Heritage for leading tours around the town and for everyone who came to the coffee morning and donated cakes. To date, we raised just over £210 which will go towards the buildings fund for the much needed repairs.

On Saturday October 14th , we’re excited to have a concert by ‘Vinyl Times’ to raise further funds. The band will perform music from the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Travelling Wilbury’s, Tom Petty and Leonard Cohen to name a few. Doors open 7pm with 7:30pm start. Licensed bar. Tickets £10 each from the Church office southamstjames@gmail.com or 01926 812413, or Jane Jones on a Sunday morning.

Just a quick update about the church building – we are so thankful to those who are supporting the work with their time, expertise and energy as well as those giving financially. The amount of work needed is significant, but we know how much the church means to the community and we are so thankful for your support. I hope that you will have noticed works already happening with work on the churchyard and also the south and north aisle doors being repaired and treated ready for the colder months ahead. It’s planned that in the week of October 16th a steeplejack company will be inspecting the tower and spire, removing loose debris, investigating and removing the shrubbery, and providing a full report for us. This sort of work doesn’t often happen, so do look out for the steeplejack but please do also keep your distance as they clear the debris etc. We’re hoping that after the works are completed that we may be able to restart the clock for which I know that we will all be thankful for! The clock hands are likely to require some work in the future, but we’ll keep you updated as we’re able to.

A few more dates for your diary…
October 26th – Poppy Appeal Launch – keep an eye out for more info from Galanos House
October 29th – Breakfast Church at St James 9:45am all welcome
November 12th – Remembrance Sunday Parade & service at St James
November 24th – 26th – Christmas Tree Festival – please get in touch with church office if you’d like to be involved this year.
December 2nd – Christmas Church Fayre

Stay thankful,
Rev Vikki

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

This may be a really familiar Bible passage to you or you may be reading it for the first time. I wonder, as you take a moment to think about this reading, what things distract you or prevent you from taking time to sit with Jesus or just even take time out?

Martha is very busy and distracted whilst Mary appears to be sitting idle. Martha is doing all the work, while Mary has, in the culture of the day, invaded the space culturally and traditionally left for men. Rather than assuming the role expected of women in her culture, Mary takes a place at the feet of Jesus and listens to his words. She assumes the posture of a student learning at the feet of a rabbi, a role traditionally reserved for men.

The account takes a sharp turn when Martha, distracted by her many tasks, comes to Jesus and asks, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me”. Many who read or hear this story may cheer for Mary in her inversion of traditional roles. Many may also empathise with Martha’s resentment of her sister for leaving her to do all the work. Jesus’ response to Martha seems less than empathetic, chiding her for her distraction and worry, and praising Mary: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

The problem with Martha is not that she is busy serving and providing hospitality, but rather that she is worried and distracted and her heart is not in the right place. Martha’s distraction and worry leave no room for the most important aspect of hospitality – gracious attention to the guest. In fact, she breaks all the rules of hospitality by trying to embarrass her sister in front of her guest, by asking her guest to intervene in a family dispute and then accusing the guest of not caring about her!

Martha’s worry and distraction prevent her from being truly present with Jesus, and it causes her to drive a wedge between her sister and herself, and between Jesus and herself. Jesus’ words to Martha may be seen as an invitation rather than a rebuke. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing.” The one thing needed is for Martha to receive the gracious presence of Jesus, to listen to his words, to know that she is valued not for what she does or how well she does it, but for who she is as a child of God.

In a culture of hectic schedules and the relentless pursuit of productivity, we are tempted to measure our worth by how busy we are, by how much we accomplish, or by how well we meet the expectations of others. It’s true that much of our busyness and distraction stems from the noblest of intentions. Indeed, where would the church be without its ‘Martha’s’ – faithful folk who perform the tasks of hospitality and service so vital to making the church a welcoming and well-functioning community?

And yet if all our activities leave us with no time to be still and hear God’s word, we are likely to end up anxious and troubled. Jesus doesn’t condemn Martha for trying to be a good hostess, rather he tells her that the problem is she has become anxious and troubled. She had lost her perspective of why she was serving in the first place. Jesus said that even though what Martha was doing was important, there was only one thing that was needful. What was that one thing? It was sitting at Jesus feet learning from his teaching.

Both listening and doing, receiving God’s Word and serving others, are vital to the Christian life, just as inhaling and exhaling are to breathing. Taking time out from busy schedules is such a blessing and much needed. So my prayer for you all this month is that the lighter summer days give you space away from worries and distractions, and that you have time to step away from busy schedules so that you can just sit and breathe and come to know that you are valued just as you are – a child of God.

As most of you are aware, the church building needs much repair work and to raise funds we will be hosting a variety of concerts and events over the coming months. It’s a big encouragement that we’ve been asked by talented local folk whether they can perform at St James to raise funds for the church. On Saturday 15 July at 3pm we will be hosting an afternoon concert performed by Divertimento. It’s called ‘Best of British’ and the music will span from Henry VIII to the Beatles and beyond! Tickets are £10 for adults or £5 for under 16s (Family tickets £25) and are available from the church office during office hours (Mon, Wed, Thurs 9am-1pm) 01926 812413 southamstjames@gmail.com or from Vikki 07983 402614 vicarpad@gmail.com. You can also order tickets from Jane Jones on Sunday mornings at church, or book through Eventbrite (subject to booking fees). We’ll be raising further funds by serving refreshments in the interval, so if you’d like to volunteer to help serve, bake or donate sweet treats then please speak to Vikki.

After two years of missing the fellowship as well as the privilege of being able to take Holy Communion together, we are very pleased to say that 10am services will be starting again in church on Thursday 7 April.

To begin with it will just be the first Thursday in every month but hopefully will soon become more frequent.

If you haven’t been to one of these services before, you’ll be very welcome to join us at what is a traditional, reflective and friendly celebration of Holy Communion. So, please put in your diaries 7 April, 5 May and 2 June.